It’s show time for the Argonauts, even though the stated intent for any team playing a pre-season game is to avoid showing anything on either side of the ball.

In the football vernacular, it’s known as ‘vanilla’, when a defence lines up with its base look or offensively when basic run plays, blocking schemes and route-running get showcased.

On special teams, it’s rare for teams to run fakes.

With the Argos set to begin their pre-season schedule with a matchup against visiting Montreal Alouettes at Varsity Stadium for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Thursday, head coach Corey Chamblin has a few items on his to-do list.

“What I want to make sure is defensively we’re able to run around and do the things we’re able to do, pursuit to the football, make sure we’re assignment-sound,’’ began Chamblin.

“On the offensive side, we want to make sure those guys are able to line up, able to get the offence down, understand the formation that goes with it and run the offence efficiently. In terms of special teams, we want to make sure those guys can cover and do the things they need to do and just be assignment-sound.

“We also make sure we’re sound in our substitution with all the guys on our sideline.”

Any player, according to Chamblin, not nursing some injury, will get reps.

There’s a curiosity entering the game to see how certain players work together, how many of the team’s newcomers — and there are many — react against an actual opponent.

Getting out of the huddle, being on the same page, being fundamentally sound, understanding their roles, every team heads into the pre-season with virtually the same approach.

When a culture needs to be established, winning becomes important.

Following the Argos’ walkthrough on Wednesday, Chamblin gathered his team at midfield.

“I talked to the guys about winning each play,’’ acknowledged Chamblin. “They have to learn to win that play. If they don’t find a way, they have to put that behind them and come back to win the next play.

“When you stack enough of those together, the scoreboard will definitely say a win. That’s the one thing I told them. I don’t care who is in the game, I don’t care what it looks like, we have to find a way to win.

“And that’s the one characteristic, to be tenacious enough to find a way to win.”

In all three phases, Chamblin and his staff have mapped out a rotation for their players.

Additionally, the pre-season also allows Chamblin to test how injuries are reported, how calls among coaches are relayed from upstairs Linebackers coach Kevin Eiben and running backs coach Mike Lionello will be up in the press box.

“It’s about the communication on the field and in the box and getting the right personnel,’’ said Chamblin. “It’ll be a test for us, but I think we’re ready.”

A LOT TO LEARN

Quarterback James Franklin will take his first step in the Argos’ new offence in Thursday’s pre-season test, a step he hopes will lead to the starter’s job.

“Coach Jacques (Chapdelaine, Toronto’s offensive coordinator) pretty much described it as learning a new language,’’ said Franklin. “And it’s true. The better we can learn and understand it the better we can execute it.

“It’s a lot different than any other offence I’ve been a part of. It was intimidating at first, but now it’s making sense and starting to click.”

“It’s like testing the waters before jumping in,’’ said Franklin. “You want to treat it like it’s a regular game, but, of course, it’s not a regular-season game, it’s pre-season.

“You want to get a feel for it and hopefully the water is nice and warm, not too many waves and kind of go from there.”

ARGOS IN TRANSIT

The better way will be the Argos’ way when the team makes the trek from York University to Varsity on Thursday morning.

Only in the CFL will a team have its players use the subway, which speaks to how human these guys are, by far the only athletes in pro sports to whom the normal working person can relate.

There’s a stop, Pioneer Village, within walking distance for players who will board the subway and get off at St. George, located right across the street from Varsity.

The plan is for players, who will leave in groups, to ride the rails beginning at 7:30 a.m. Former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey took the subway as did Chamblin.

“It’s very relaxed,’’ said Chamblin. “I drew up a lot of plays on the subway. We called it the subway package.”

During his playing days, Ricky Ray often took the GO Train to home games. early-bird special

The Touchdown Atlantic CFL game in Moncton, N.B., will be an afternoon game instead of an evening contest in an effort to attract more fans from across the region.

Schooners Sports and Entertainment, a group trying to bring a CFL team to Halifax, and the league announced Wednesday the Alouettes-Argonauts game on Aug. 25 will now be played at 1 p.m. ADT. It was originally scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“We have heard from fans and partners that an afternoon start time is significantly preferred, and the reasoning has been simple yet powerful — the entire region of Atlantic Canada wants the opportunity to be at this exciting … event,” Anthony LeBlanc, founding partner of SSE, said in a statement. “A 1 p.m. ADT start time allows the full region to come together for this game.”

The Alouettes-Argos game marks the fourth CFL regular-season contest in Moncton.

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